FlowMasters Gate-Valve

Testing the tester

The FlowMaster gate-valve is a personal project I developed in 2010 to test my finite element analysis capability in SolidWorks. It came after I had successfully designed the very first batch of oil accessories for FlowMasters Ltd in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, for one of its clients.

The project was supervised by me from ideation through design to deployment. At that time the majority of testing done on the part was manual, which added additional cost to the overall project. So I decided to explore how accurately software-generated tests could conform with laboratory tests of the same product.

This simple trial cut the manufacturing cost at FlowMasters Ltd by 40 % and increased delivery speed by 60 %.

Design process

The valve was designed with several key components — the body, bonnet, gate, stem and packing. Each component was analysed for stress distribution under various pressure conditions using SolidWorks Simulation.

What the views show

• Front and side views. A perspective with an autographic head, chosen to give detail of what the orifice — the inner body — of the valve looks like.
• Low pressure presentation. Analysis of the valve under low pressure conditions to verify structural integrity.
• Exploded views. All components and their assembly relationships.
• Bonnet design. Specialised to ensure proper sealing and pressure containment.
• Flow velocity presentation. Fluid flow characteristics through the valve at various opening positions.

Fifteen years later

I still do this, at considerably higher consequence. The question is the same one: can the analysis be trusted enough to change what gets built? The answer still depends on being honest about where the model stops representing the part.